Cover locking device for containers



P 1954 F. G. ERSKINE ETAL COVER LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2, 1951 INVENTORS'. FRANK G. ERSKINE PAULWASYLUKA ATTORNEYS.

p 1954 F. G. ERSKINE EIAL 2,690,287

COVER LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS- Filer} Jan. 2, 1951 2 Shedts-Sheet2 FIG. 5.

INVENTORS: FRAN G. ERSKINE PAUL WASYLUKA A0 mfm ATTORNEY in strength inat least one direction. strength deficiency will cause the container toPatented Sept. 28, 1954 QFHC . 2,690,287 7 coves LOCKING DEVICE FoaCONTAINERS 7 Frank G. Erskine, Kirkwood, and Paul Wasyluka, St. Louis,Mo., assignors to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a.corporation of Maryland Application l'anuary 2, 1951, Serial No. 203,959

3 Claims.

This invention appertains to a cover lock for a shipping conta-iner'andmore particularly to a coverlockfor a receptacle of the class ofmultiple trip containers used to transport bottled and canned beverages.

The carrier hereinafter described may be constructed of solidfibreboard, corrugated fibreboard or any other suitable material.

Most containers for bottled beverages are of the double hinged covertype, each of the hinged cover panels being provided with dependingmarginal flanges on the free edges thereof. There is usually a slotinthe upper edge of the end wall to receive the flanges depending from thelengthwise free edges of the cover panels. The slotis generally as deepas the depending flanges. This arrangement of the slot and the flangerestrains any transverse movement of the cover panels relative to thecontainer end wall. However, longitudinal and diagonal movement is notrestrainedby' this arrangement which uses a full depth slot, that is, aslot whose depth is substantially the height of the cover flange. Thecontainer therefore has a marked tendency to flex and weave when moved,especially when horizontal forces are applied to the upper portion ofthe container.

i In other containers having a modified arrangement, a slot which is thefull depth of the cover flange is provided near each end of the flangedepending from the longitudinal edge of each cover A further object ofthis invention is to provide a hinged split cover lock easy andinexpensive to manufacture and which requires no special skill orspecial devices to assemble.

, A. still further object is to provide a cover lock for a containerwhich is trim and neat in appearance.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a full and complete understanding of theconstruction and operation of this device.

diagonal movement is not limited. The container as above described, thecontainer will be deficient This brace the container in all lateraldirections as to substantially eliminate all weaving and flexing due tohorizontal forces on the upper portion of the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a split covercontainer lock using only the material of the container.

fined by a double score 5.

This invention comprises a hinged receptacle cover member provided withnotches in interlocking engagement with opposing slots in the upperedges of the receptacle walls.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and thecombinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In theaccompanying drawings which form party of this specification and whereinlike numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. l is a plan view of a blank for a container embodying thisinvention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container folded fromthe blank shown in Fig. 1 with the cover panel in partially closedposition,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container with one coverpanel closed,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken along the line i-- ofFig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the blank shown in Fig. 1showing the cover looking device portion.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of a blank for a containerhaving a modified form of this cover locking device, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective View of the modified form inassembled position. v

Referring now to the drawings in detail it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated is formed fromthe single blank shown in Fig. 1. This blanl; illustratesone common formof a multiple trip beverage case having bottom panels I, side walls 2and end walls 3. The upper edge of each end wall 3 is provided with areinforcing flap 4 de- Each reinforcing flap t is provided with areinforcing strip 6 defined by the double score I. The reinforcingstrips 6 are provided with cover flange receiving slots 8. Thereinforcing flaps and the end walls 3 are provided with cover flangereceiving slots 9 which register with said cover flange receiving slots8 when the container is assembled. The receiving slots 9 are providedwith tapered corners Iii to facilitate easy closing and locking of thecover 3 members. The ends walls 3 are provided with handholes ll.Obviously, the handholes II are an optional feature of convenience whichcan be omitted.

The side walls 2 are provided with cover panels I2 defined by doublescores H3. The free side edge of each cover panel I2 is provided with adepending flange I4 defined by a double score I5. Each depending sidecover flange I4 is provided with a reinforcing strip I6 defined by adouble score II. The end edges of the cover panels I2 are provided withdepending end cover flanges l8 defined by double scores 19. Thedepending end cover flanges I8 are also provided with reinforcing or endtabs 29 defined by an extension of the double score IS. The end tabs 22:are provided with a notch 2| having outer shoulders 22 and innershoulders 23.

The container body is assembled in any suitable manner. A preferred formof assembling and fabricating the split covers and their dependingflanges, with the included notch is as follows;

The end cover flanges it are folded along the double scores 9 to form anangle of approximately 90 with the cover panel I2. The end tabs 20 arefolded along the extensions of the double scores I?) to form an angle ofsubstantially 90 with the end cover flanges I8. The longitudinal or sidecover flanges I4 are folded along the double score I to form an angle ofsubstantially 90 with the cover panels I2. The reinforcing strips I6 arefolded along the double scores Ill, and around end tabs 29 and finallysecured flatwise against the inner faces of the end tabs 2!] and sidecover flanges I4. Thus, the end tabs 26 are firmly held in between theside cover flanges I4 and the reinforcing strips It. The box is nowprepared for use.

With this arrangement, when one cover panel I2 is closed the end coverflanges i8 thereon are inflatwise contact with the outer surface of theupper portion of the end walls 3. The notch IZI fits into the slotformed by the registry of the receiving slots 8 and d, the upper edge ofthe notch 2| abutting against the bottom of the slots 8 and 9; As shownin Fig. 4, an outer edge :22 of the notch 2| formed bythe inside surfaceof the end cover flange I8 fits snugly against the outer surface of theend wall 3' below said slots. In a similar manner, an inner edge 23 ofthe notch Z-l fits snugly against the reinforcing flaps 4 therebypreventing any longitudinal movement. In a like manner, the second coverpanel I2 is brought into closed position. The side cover flanges M withreinforcing strips t6 thereon completely fill the slots 8 and 9 andrestrain any transverse movement.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Inthis embodiment, the end tab 280, is of uniform width throughout, but itis narrower than the end cover flange 13. The side cover flange Ma andthe reinforcing strip We have cut out portions 24 having inner edges 25.The cut out portions 2i are in superimposed relation when the side coverflange [4a and the reinforcing strip I6a are in fiatwise relation toeach other with, the end tab Zea positioned therebetween. In theassembled form a lower edge 26 of the end tab 20a will be even with theupper edges 21 of the cut out portions 24.

The operation of the modified form of the invention is similar to thatof the preferred embodiment. When the cover panel I2 is closed, theinner edges 25 abut against the inner face ofthe end wall; 3'. Thus, inthe second embodiment the abutting inner edges of the notch are formedin the side cover flange Ma and the reinforcing strip Ifia therebyproviding a three-ply surface for a portion of the upper edge of notch21a whereas in the first embodiment, the upper edge of the notch 2I isonly a single ply formed by the lower edge of the end tab 20.

The embodiments herein presented are illustrative and not restrictive;and the subject invention may be utilized in many forms by personsskilled in the art without departing from the invention.

What we claim is:

1. The combination of a cover member and an end wall with a slot thereinwherein the cover member comprises a cover panel having a side coverflange and an end cover flange, said end cover flange having aconnecting member thereon, said connecting member having an intermediateportion of less width than said end cover flange, said intermediateportion having a bottom edge, said side cover flange being provided witha cut out having an upper edge and an inner edge, said upper edge beingin conterminous relation withthe bottom edge of said intermediateportion, said connecting member being attached to said side cover flangethereby forming at least a two-ply assembly, said slot being of a depthsubstantially equal to the width of said intermediate portion of saidconnecting member, said intermediate portion being disposed through saidslot in right angular relation to said end wall, said inner edge of saidout out being in edgewise abutting relation to the inner face of saidend wall below said slot, the lower margin of said end cover flangeextending below the level of said slot and being in flatwise contactingrelation with the upper margin of the outer face of said end wall, saidassembly of at least two plies being positioned in said slot with thebottom edge of said intermediate portion of said connecting member andthe upper edge of said out out abuttingagainst a portion of the end wallwhich forms the bottom of said slot.

2. The combination of a cover member and an end wall with a slot thereinwherein the cover member comprises a cover .panel having a side coverflange and an end cover flange, said end cover flange having, aconnecting member thereon, said connecting member having an intermediateportion of less width than said end cover flange, said intermediateportion having a bottom edge, said side cover flange, having areinforcing strip thereon, saidside cover flange and said reinforcingstrip each being provided with a cut out having an upper edge and aninner-edge, said upper edges being in conterminous relation with thebottom edge of said intermediate portion, said connecting member beingpositioned between said side cover flange and said reinforcing strip.forming a three-ply assembly, said slot being of a depth substantiallyequal to the width of said intermediate portion of said connectingmember, said intermediate portion being disposed through said slot inright angular relation to said end wall, said inner edges of said-cutouts being in edgewise abutting relation to the inner face of said endwall below said slot, the lower margin of said: end cover'fiangeextending below the level of said slot andzbeing in flatwise contactingrelation withthe. upper margin of the outer face of said end wall, saidthree-ply assembly being positioned in said slot with the bottom edge ofsaid intermediate portion ofsaid connecting member and the upper edgesof'said cutouts abutting against a portion of the end wall which formsthe bottom of said slot.

3. The combination of a rectangular paperboard. box and a pair of covermembers therefor hinged to the opposite sides thereof, each end wall ofsaid box having a medial slot in the upper edge thereof, each covermember comprising a cover panel having a side cover flange and an endcover flange of like width, said side cover flange being folded back onitself to form a two ply flange, the upper edge of the end wall havingits edge folded upon itself to form a thickened wall portion of at leasttwo plies, said end cover flange having a member connecting the adjacentends of said side and end cover flanges thereby forming a cover flangejunction, a notch formed in the lower edge of the cover flange junction,the outer edge of said notch being substantially in the plane of theouter face of the thickened end wall portion and the inner edge of saidnotch, 20 2,387,184

being substantially in the plane of the inner face of the thickened endwall portion, said slot in said end wall being of a depth substantiallyequal to the width of the cover flange minus the depth of the notch, thelower margin of said end cover flange extending below the level of saidslot when the cover is in closed position and the notch and slot are ininterlocking engagement whereby the end walls are locked against inwardand outward movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,075,618 Kilmer Mar. 30, 1937 2,124,326 Williams July 19,1938 2,284,942 Boeye June 2, 1942 Richards Oct. 16, 1945

